Nickelback at the Pepsi Center, 6/10/12 (photos and review)

Anyone who makes fun of a Nickelback concert has probably never been to a Nickelback concert. Yes, the Canadian rock band is known for producing some of modern rock’s cheesier hits like “Photograph” and “Rockstar,” but even the most hardcore of rock fans couldn’t resist singing along Sunday night at the Pepsi Center.

The show got off to an early 6 p.m. start with two short sets from My Darkest Days and Seether that each did their part in warming up the crowd, but it was Bush that really got the night going. With an arsenal of old radio hits like “Machinehead” and “Chemicals Between Us,” Bush already had the crowd glued to the stage, but frontman Gavin Rossdale had the evening’s best moment when he jumped down to join the audience for a cover of the Beatles’ “Come Together.”

Bright lights and flames ignited the arena for Nickelback’s opening song “This Means War” followed immediately by “Something In Your Mouth” – which was punctuated by screen shots of girls in the crowd dancing and singing along to one of the band’s bigger “stripper rock” hits.

The height of Nickelback’s performance was (literally) the highest point in its set. Halfway through the show, the members moved to a stage in the center of the venue that elevated them above the crowd, where they performed hits like “Rockstar” and “Someday.”

If the abundance of pyrotechnics, drum and guitar solos weren’t enough to make this a textbook arena rock show, perhaps it was numerous onstage shots and throwing full beers into the crowd that proved what kind of rock band Nickelback really is in 2012.

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Paige Montgomery is a Denver-based freelance writer. Check out more of her work on Facebook and Twitter.

Seth McConnell is a member of YourHub at The Denver Post and a new contributor to Reverb.